Saskatchewan NDP wants review of government response to ‘Queen of Canada’ occupation

Saskatchewan’s Opposition is asking why the province and its health authority responded so late to the occupation of a compound by the so-called “Queen of Canada,” and months after occupiers had their sewer system and access to water cut off.The NDP says a review of the province’s and the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s responses is necessary to understand why Romana Didulo, 50, and her followers—known as the “Kingdom of Canada”—were able to occupy a building in Richmound since 2023, wreaking havoc on the small village west of Regina.“This should not have gone on for as long as it did and we need to look into why there wasn’t action from the provincial government,” Brittney Senger, an NDP legislature member, said in an interview Tuesday.“It’s frankly heartbreaking that . . . the water lines shut down and that people that were occupying it were disposing sewage and waste in public spaces . . . (the health authority) didn’t go in . . . until recently. This tormented the community.”Didulo, who gained prominence during the “Freedom Convoy” three years ago in Ottawa and has been promoting various conspiracy theories, was one of 16 people arrested last Wednesday at the compound, a former school.Didulo and the others were released from custody shortly after the arrests. But she and a co-accused were rearrested the next day and accused of breaching a condition not to contact one another.She was freed on bail Monday with strict conditions, including that she not leave a Regina residence without permission from a probation officer, she can’t have contact with those associated with the Kingdom of Canada, and she must stay at least 50 kilometres away from Richmound.She is charged with breaching a court order and attempting to intimidate a justice system participant, with her next court date set for Sept. 17.The Saskatchewan Health Authority said in a weekend statement that it has been assessing public health risk at the compound with the Saskatchewan RCMP and municipal authorities since police took action last week.And as of last Friday, it had gathered enough evidence regarding health concerns and compliance issues to determine there is a risk to public health safety. “As a result of this assessment, a public health officer has issued a placarding order under Section 22 of the Public Health Act that prohibits occupancy of the building on the basis that the premises is a multi-person residence and is not connected to the municipal sewer system,” the agency said in the statement.The agency said the order will remain “until any deficiencies identified have been corrected to the satisfaction of a public health officer.”The fine for violating the order is $75,000 on a first offence and $100 for each day the offence continues, it said.The agency and Saskatchewan’s justice minister did not immediately respond to request for comment on the NDP’s call for a review and why it took months for the Saskatchewan Health Authority to intervene after the compound’s water system was cut off.“There’s a lot of unanswered questions from this,” Senger said.The mayor of Richmound did not immediately respond to a request for an interview on Tuesday, but said in an Aug. 8 post on Facebook that the village was able to cut the compound’s access to a sewage system in February and then eventually its water system.“But now, with their sewage backing up, they’ve started pumping it around their compound—and even near the ball diamonds outside of the compound where our kids used to play,” he said at the time.“It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. I can’t believe we’re still here, with no real help, no protection and no answers—just more waiting and more promises from people who say they care.”He said Didulo moved into the village’s old school building with her followers after they were invited by the owner of the school. “When they first arrived, they threatened anyone who opposed them—including threats of execution and violence toward families in our small, close-knit community. It was terrifying, and it still is.”The mayor said the residents of the compound then barricaded the building, set up security cameras and erected bright LED lights, some of which were facing the main highway that runs through the town.“They’ve been stealing water and using the town’s sewer system without paying, all while claiming they aren’t,” he said.“I’m writing this post in the hope that more people see what’s happening here in our small town Richmound SK, and that the right people finally step in to help end this nightmare.”One of Didulo’s bail conditions is that she must not speak with Ricky Manz, the owner of the compound building. Manz faces charges of breaching a court order and attempting to intimidate a justice system participant, along with previous charges of assaulting two police officers. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18.

Saskatchewan NDP wants review of government response to ‘Queen of Canada’ occupation

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